In an LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) operation mode, asymmetric uplink and downlink allocation is allowed by providing seven different types of semi-statically configured uplink and downlink configuration. The allocation can provide downlink subframes ranging from 40% to 90%. The semi-static configuration may mismatch an instant service condition, thus resulting in inefficient utilization of resources. The existing mechanism to adapt uplink and downlink allocation is based upon a system information modification process. Other mechanisms may include dynamic uplink and downlink subframe allocation.
However in a heterogeneous network (HTN), the same semi-static uplink and downlink configuration is adopted by user equipments of both a macro cell and a pico cell when the macro cell and the pico cell have the same cell ID, but the user equipments of the macro cell and those of the pico cell typically have different service traffic, so the same semi-static uplink and downlink configuration can not satisfy a dynamic varying demand of the user equipments of the pico cell for service traffic. Furthermore when the macro cell and the pico cell have their own cell IDs, the semi-static configuration has a too long cycle to satisfy the rapidly varying demand of the user equipments in the pico cell for service traffic.